Donald G. Smith

At 5:24 on Sunday morning September 12, Donald Gregory Smith of Oklahoma City was released from Mercy Health Center to go home to his Savior, Jesus Christ. After a week of suffering from a painful injury that doctors were unable to treat, the Virgin Mary looked upon her devoted Donald and bestowed compassion upon him and his family. She eased him into a gentle rest, the pain was gone, and his loved ones were by his side holding him when she led him away to meet her son. Blessed be her name. He was born on the island of Manhattan, December 1, 1926, to Harry & Marjorie (Mahon) Smith. After graduating from Flushing High in Queens (Class of '44), he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. He achieved the rank of 2nd Class Petty Officer and was a part of the Naval Intelligence responsible for monitoring and decoding Japanese radio transmissions. After his discharge he returned to New York and graduated from New York University. He also studied at Columbia's Russian Institute, adding Russian language proficiency to the Japanese he had acquired during the war. While still attending college he became a reporter for the Long Island Star-Journal, beginning a life-long career in sports journalism. As a young man he also had a short coaching career, heading up the basketball and football squads at Long Island's Holy Cross High School. Donald was married to Mary Helen Deer on September 1, 1961 in New York City. In the late1950's, he became Public Relations Director for the New York Football Giants, at the time being the youngest person in the league to hold that position. During his years with the team he wrote three books; 'The Frank Gifford Story", "Y.A.Tittle: I Pass", & "Defensive Football with Sam Huff." Don was in the press box for 37 of the first 40 Super Bowl games. In 1972 he became vice-president at Stadia Sports Publishing and authored several more titles, including "How Sports Began." In 1975 he founded Don Smith Consultants. His first project was with Seagram's Seven Crowns of Sports which annually awarded a trophy and check to the standout male and female athlete in the seven major American sports. In the early 1980's he became involved with the U.S. Olympic Committee and was instrumental in the preparation for the 1984 Los Angeles Games. This began a decade long involvement in amateur sports and he worked with many various sports federations before and during the Olympic Trials and Games of 1988 & 1992. He also handled media relations for the Southland Corporation's 7 Eleven Cycling Team during the 1980's. In the 1990's he worked for the New York City Sports Authority and was involved with the Goodwill Games held in New York and St.Petersburg, Russia. Before his retirement he spent several years working with the Florida Athletic Commission, and edited their journal "Sports In Florida." During his five decades in professional and amateur sports, Don Smith was known, admired, and respected by countless numbers of Hall of Fame athletes. He and Whitey Ford were childhood friends, and others he had special friendships with were Gary Player, Martina Navratilova, Mary Lou Retton, and so many more. You could hardly mention a notable from his years in sports that he would not have a personal anecdote to share with you about them. Don was an accomplished athlete himself , earning All-City honors in Track & Field as a prepster. He began studying Judo during his service in the Pacific (including time at the famous Kodokan Dojo in Tokyo) and eventually earned the rank of Black Belt, 2nd Dan. After the war he was a minor league first baseman for the St. Louis Browns organization, assigned to (of all places!) the Muskogee Oklahoma Reds. In his prime, he was a low-handicap golfer. He also enjoyed the game of Squash for many years, even continuing to play after a hip replacement surgery.

He is survived by his loving wife, of the home. She nursed and cared for her husband with much tenderness and made possible the last few wonderful years the Smith family had together. A son, Christopher Linn of Oklahoma City, with whom he enjoyed riding in the cart with for a round of golf even though he could no longer play himself. Don was always proud to watch a Thunder game on television and know that his son Chris was shooting the images he saw on the screen. A son, Stephen Gregory of Lawton, with whom he shared a love of history, writing, and reading and they also enjoyed sharing an occasional bag of orange candy slices. He has several surviving nieces and nephews back on the east coast. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Connie and a brother, Bruce.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church, Oklahoma City, at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday September 15, 2010. Interment to follow at Resurrection Cemetery, W. Britton Rd. Oklahoma City. Dad, your family is going to miss your loving kindness, the great stories you told about your travels and experiences, and it will be hard to hear any Big Band music for awhile. We will never stop missing and loving you. But in time we will be able to listen to your favorite songs with a smile and rejoice in the memory of the most gentle, loving, man that any family could hope to call Father.

Arrangements under the direction of Bill Merritt Funeral Service, Bethany, OK.